Excavator



Prion.

HENRY RENes ToRFF, on MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA.

excAvAroe.

SQPBCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 321,051, dated June30, 1885.

Application filed January 20, 1885. (X0 model.).

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY RENGSTORFF, of Mountain View, in the county ofSanta Clara and State of California, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Excavators; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is designed and used for hoisting and removing the earthfrom the bed of dry creeks. It is applicable to the work of formingditches and drains or excavating of any sort not requiring great depthbelow the surface.

My object also has been in this invention to provide a simple andinexpensive structure, which may be made by a comparatively unskilledworkman and ironed by an ordinary blacksmith, and which also may be usedin part as an ordinary scraper.

It consists, mainly, of an improved derrick adapted to be used inconnection with a scraper, and in combining with the derrick and thescraper-bail a supplemental bail or brace, whereby the scraper is madeto serve as a dumping-bucket as well as a scraper.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the apparatus entirein perspective. Figs. 2 and 3 represent details of construction.

The frame or tower of the derrick consists of four posts, a, connectedat the top, braced midway by studs 12 b, and supported on sills c 0,preferably turned up at the ends, as shown at d d, and adapted to slideon the ground. These sills are connected and braced by a strongcross-bar, D. On this frame is supported a pair of derrick-arms, E E.These are composed each of two scantlings,e e,set on edge, withdistance-pieces interposed between the scantlings for the passage of thearm of the scantlingblock. The arms are connected to each other,preferably at their inner ends, and are further connected by a tie, F;but the means for connecting them to the frame and supporting themfirmly thereon maybe greatly varied. In the outer ends of the arms aresheaves f f. Afixed block depends from the upper cross-bars of thederrick, and another block is connected to the lower bar, D.Thetraveling block G is attached to an arm, 9, which moves freelybetween the sides of the arms, and is supported on the axis of a pair ofwheels, h h, which run on the upper edges of the scantlings which formthe sides. The arm g is provided with a hinge, as shown at 3, Figs. 1and 3, whereby lateral swinging movement of the block is permitted whilethe scraper is being pulled from the side. The end of a rope is attachedto the moving block at w, thence passes over the block it, which ishooked to the scraper, thence over the moving pulley G and overthesheaves in the end of the derrick-arm; thence it passes to theupperblock and down to that attached to the cross-bar D, whence it is lead tothe horses. The frame is arranged, when used to clear the bed of a creekor to form a ditch, with the sills c 0 parallel with the sides of thecreek or ditch. The scraper K may be drawn out as far as de sired in thesaid creek or ditch, and when the horses are started it is drawn alongthe surface till it reaches the proper position underneath the movingpulley 00. During this time it acts as an ordinary scraper, being drawnby the bail 3 and held by the ordinary han dles, z 2. In order that itmay be used as a dumping-bucket, I provide the bail y with asupplemental bail or rod, Z, hinged to bail g and having a hook on itsfree end adapted to hook into a staple or eye, a, on the rear edge ofthe scraper. The rod is so proportioned that when hooked to the eye thescraper will be well balanced upon the eye 0, into which the pulley ishooked. WVhen, therefore, the team has drawn the scraper to thehoistingpoint, it is stopped, and the attendant hooks the rod to itseye, the team is started, and the load hoisted out of the ditch. WVhenswung clear, it is drawn along the derrick-arm, and when at the properpoint the attendant pulls the ropep and jerks the hook of rod Z from itseye, thus dumping the scraper, which is then allowed to run back foranother load. When the earth has been removed from one part, the teammay-be hitched to the cross-bar D and move the machine onward.

I claimv 1. A machine for hoisting earth from ditches and the like andfor excavating, consisting of a frame or tower adapted to be moved,fixed inclined arms extending laterally from the frame and meeting attheir lowest point, and a traveling block and rope with suitable [0 anarm having wheels adapted to run on the derrick-arms, and ahoisting-rope and pulleys, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY RENGSTORFF.

Witnesses:

CALEB V. J oNEs, B. E. BURNS.

